Capital and Knowledge in Asia: Changing Power Relations (Routledgecurzon Studies in the Growth Economies of Asia)

Global economic integration, widening communication networks and government policies supportive of private enterprise are changing opportunities for accumulating wealth, status and power. In varying degrees throughout Asia, this process is accompanied by the development of service enterprises such as banking, insurance, legal firms and IT firms, which provide access to the resources required for a profitable connection to the wider world. This book focuses on the key role played by producer services in shaping new business areas and new patterns for social mobility, and their interdependence with the State as either a facilitator of, or an obstacle to, the emergence and flourishing of the new professions. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 List of tables......Page 12 Notes on contributors......Page 14 Preface......Page 18 Acknowledgements......Page 20 Producer services, social mobility and the state in Asia: Lessons from Western economies......Page 22 The new economy: boosting new people or bolstering old ties?......Page 42 Networking for domination: The interconnectivity among business and government actors in the information technology industry of Hong Kong......Page 44 The status of non-banking financial companies in India: A case study from Ahmedabad, Gujarat......Page 61 Cyber gurus and social mobility in India's 'Silicon Valley'......Page 72 Restructuring capitalist power in the Philippines: Elite consolidation and upward mobility in producer services......Page 85 Land investors during the property boom of the 1990s and the elite of Metro Cebu......Page 111 Engineering a new middle class: Singapore and Malaysia......Page 130 Brokering change, changing brokers: The Chinese business elite and decolonization politics in Singapore, 1945 65......Page 132 Social networks and modern management style: Pawnbroking business in Singapore......Page 152 Establishing an enduring business: The Great Eastern OCBC group......Page 167 Local merchant shipping companies in Malaysia: Expansion and diversification......Page 192 Producer services in transitional economies......Page 206 New entrepreneurs in reform China: Economic growth and social change in Taiyuan, Shanxi......Page 208 Business services in transitional economies: The case of Russia......Page 219 Conclusion......Page 230 Bibliography......Page 238 Index......Page 257 Social Sciences Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 List of tables 12 Notes on contributors 14 Preface 18 Acknowledgements 20 Producer services, social mobility and the state in Asia: Lessons from Western economies 22 The new economy: boosting new people or bolstering old ties? 42 Networking for domination: The interconnectivity among business and government actors in the information technology industry of Hong Kong 44 The status of non-banking financial companies in India: A case study from Ahmedabad, Gujarat 61 Cyber gurus and social mobility in India's 'Silicon Valley' 72 Restructuring capitalist power in the Philippines: Elite consolidation and upward mobility in producer services 85 Land investors during the property boom of the 1990s and the elite of Metro Cebu 111 Engineering a new middle class: Singapore and Malaysia 130 Brokering change, changing brokers: The Chinese business elite and decolonization politics in Singapore, 1945 65 132 Social networks and modern management style: Pawnbroking business in Singapore 152 Establishing an enduring business: The Great Eastern OCBC group 167 Local merchant shipping companies in Malaysia: Expansion and diversification 192 Producer services in transitional economies 206 New entrepreneurs in reform China: Economic growth and social change in Taiyuan, Shanxi 208 Business services in transitional economies: The case of Russia 219 Conclusion 230 Bibliography 238 Index 257 Annotation Global economic integration, widening communication networks and government policies supportive of private enterprise are changing opportunities for accumulating wealth, status and power. In varying degrees throughout Asia, this process is accompanied by the development of service enterprises such as banking, insurance, legal firms and IT firms, which provide access to the resources required for a profitable connection to the wider world. This book focuses on the key role played by producer services in shaping new business areas and new patterns for social mobility, and their interdependence with the State as either a facilitator of, or an obstacle to, the emergence and flourishing of the new professions